Vehicle battery jump starter powered by a removable and rechargeable battery pack

ABSTRACT

A vehicle battery jump starter that is powered by a removable and rechargeable battery pack, such as a battery pack used with various hand-held power tools. The battery pack removably connects to a vehicle battery jump starter and can be selectively used to charge a power boost module within the vehicle battery jump starter. The power boost module includes, for example, a plurality of supercapacitors or lithium polymer battery cells. The power boost module in combination with the battery pack  100  can be used to jump start a vehicle battery.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/545,118, filed Aug. 20, 2019, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/720,438, filed Aug. 21, 2018, theentire content of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate to a vehicle battery jump starterpowered by a removable and rechargeable battery pack.

SUMMARY

Vehicle battery jump starters are subject to a number of designlimitations that make the implementation of a vehicle battery jumpstarter difficult. For example, the vehicle battery jump starter mustsatisfy requirements related to voltage magnitudes (e.g., vehiclebattery overvoltage), power source undervoltage (e.g., jump starterpower source undervoltage), sparking and short circuiting, andelectrical current magnitude. As a result of these limitations, currentvehicle battery jump starters are dedicated devices with internal powersources that can be charged and then used as necessary to jump start avehicle. These jump starters may include a sealed lead acid battery, aplurality of lithium polymer battery cells, or a bank ofsupercapacitors. Such devices are often charged from AC mains power.However, because AC mains power is not always readily available, it ispossible that, in an emergency, the vehicle battery jump starters maylack sufficient charge to jump start a vehicle battery. In someembodiments, a depleted vehicle battery can be used to slowly charge abank of supercapacitors, but the bank of supercapacitors alone may notalways be sufficient to jump start the vehicle battery.

As an alternative to conventional vehicle battery jump starters, avehicle battery jump starter that could be powered by a battery pack forcordless, hand-held power tools would greatly enhance the versatility ofvehicle battery jump starters. Such a jump starter could be usedanywhere at any time as long as a battery pack is available. One of thedifficulties in implementing a vehicle battery jump starter powered by abattery pack for power tools is the magnitude of current that thebattery pack is capable of producing. Electrical current limitations ofbattery packs in the context of vehicle battery jump starters can bemitigated or removed if the battery pack is first used to charge anenergy storage device or devices (e.g., a bank of supercapacitors,lithium polymer battery cells, etc.). After the supercapacitors orlithium polymer battery cells are charged, current can be dischargedfrom both the battery pack and the supercapacitors or lithium polymerbattery cells. The battery pack discharge current in combination withdischarge current from the supercapacitors or lithium polymer batterycells can be sufficient to jump start a vehicle battery. In someembodiments, just as a depleted vehicle battery can be used to charge abank of supercapacitors, a depleted battery pack could be used alone orin conjunction with a depleted vehicle battery to charge the bank ofsupercapacitors. The bank of supercapacitors could then be used toattempt to jump start the vehicle battery.

Embodiments described herein provide a vehicle battery jump starter. Thevehicle battery jump starter includes a battery pack interfaceconfigured to receive a removable and rechargeable battery pack, a powerboost circuit including one or more energy storage devices, a firstelectrical cable and a second electrical cable electrically connectableto the power boost circuit, a first terminal clamp connected to thefirst electrical cable, and a second terminal clamp connected to thesecond electrical cable. The power boost circuit is configured to becharged through the battery pack interface with a discharge current fromthe removable and rechargeable battery pack.

Embodiments described herein provide a vehicle battery jump startersystem. The system includes a removable and rechargeable battery packand a vehicle battery jump starter. The vehicle battery jump starterincludes a battery pack interface configured to receive the removableand rechargeable battery pack, a power boost circuit including one ormore energy storage devices, a first electrical cable and a secondelectrical cable electrically connectable to the power boost circuit, afirst terminal clamp connected to the first electrical cable, and asecond terminal clamp connected to the second electrical cable. Thepower boost circuit is configured to be charged through the battery packinterface with a discharge current from the removable and rechargeablebattery pack.

Embodiments described herein provide a method of jump starting a batteryof a vehicle. The method includes attaching a removable and rechargeablebattery pack to a vehicle battery jump starter. The vehicle battery jumpstarter includes a power boost circuit. The power boost circuit includesone or more energy storage devices within a housing of the vehiclebattery jump starter. The method also includes electrically connectingthe removable and rechargeable battery pack to the power boost circuit,charging the power boost circuit with a discharge current from theremovable and rechargeable battery pack, connecting the vehicle batteryjump starter to a vehicle battery, and electrically connecting theremovable and rechargeable battery pack and the power boost circuit tothe battery to jump start the battery.

Embodiments described herein provide a vehicle battery jump starter. Thevehicle battery jump starter includes a battery pack interface, a powerboost module, a precharge circuit, and a jump start switch. The batterypack interface is operable to interface with a removable andrechargeable battery pack. The power boost module is selectively chargedby the removable and rechargeable battery pack using the prechargecircuit. The jump start switch is operable to control discharge currentsfrom the battery pack and the power boost module to jump start a vehiclebattery.

Embodiments described herein provide a method of jump starting a vehiclebattery using a vehicle battery jump starter that is powered by aremovable and rechargeable battery pack. The method includes connectingthe removable and rechargeable battery pack to a vehicle battery jumpstarter, charging a power boost module using the removable andrechargeable battery pack, and connecting the vehicle battery jumpstarter to a battery of a vehicle. The method also includes, monitoringfor an attempt to start the vehicle, electrically connecting the batterypack and the power boost module to the battery of the vehicle,monitoring the voltage of the battery to determine that the vehicle hasstarted, and electrically disconnecting the battery pack and power boostmodule from the battery of the vehicle.

Before any embodiments are explained in detail, it is to be understoodthat the embodiments are not limited in its application to the detailsof the configuration and arrangement of components set forth in thefollowing description or illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Theembodiments are capable of being practiced or of being carried out invarious ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology andterminology used herein are for the purpose of description and shouldnot be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or“having” and variations thereof are meant to encompass the items listedthereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unlessspecified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,”“supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly andencompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, andcouplings.

In addition, it should be understood that embodiments may includehardware, software, and electronic components or modules that, forpurposes of discussion, may be illustrated and described as if themajority of the components were implemented solely in hardware. However,one of ordinary skill in the art, and based on a reading of thisdetailed description, would recognize that, in at least one embodiment,the electronic-based aspects may be implemented in software (e.g.,stored on non-transitory computer-readable medium) executable by one ormore processing units, such as a microprocessor and/or applicationspecific integrated circuits (“ASICs”). As such, it should be noted thata plurality of hardware and software based devices, as well as aplurality of different structural components, may be utilized toimplement the embodiments. For example, “servers” and “computingdevices” described in the specification can include one or moreprocessing units, one or more computer-readable medium modules, one ormore input/output interfaces, and various connections (e.g., a systembus) connecting the components.

Other aspects of the embodiments will become apparent by considerationof the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack, according to embodimentsdescribed herein.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the battery pack of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a section view of the battery pack of FIG. 1 showing batterycells, according to embodiments described herein.

FIG. 4 is an electromechanical diagram of the battery pack of FIG. 1 ,according to embodiments described herein.

FIG. 5 illustrates a vehicle battery jump starter configured to receive,support, and be powered by the battery pack of FIG. 1 , according toembodiments described herein.

FIG. 6 is an electromechanical diagram of the vehicle battery jumpstarter of FIG. 5 , according to embodiments described herein.

FIG. 7 is an electrical schematic diagram of the vehicle battery jumpstarter of FIG. 5 being powered by the battery pack of FIG. 1 ,according to embodiments described herein.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are a process for jump starting a vehicle battery usingthe vehicle battery jump starter of FIG. 5 being powered by the batterypack of FIG. 1 , according to embodiments described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments described herein relate to a vehicle battery jump starterthat is powered by a removable and rechargeable battery pack, such as abattery pack used with various hand-held power tools. The battery packremovably connects to a vehicle battery jump starter. The battery pack,or a plurality of battery packs connected together, can be used to powerthe vehicle battery jump starter and jump start a vehicle battery. Thebattery pack can also be selectively used to charge a power boost modulewithin the vehicle battery jump starter. The power boost moduleincludes, for example, an energy storage device or devices, such as aplurality of supercapacitors or lithium polymer battery cells. The powerboost module in combination with the removable and rechargeable batterypack can be used to jump start the vehicle battery.

FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a battery pack 100 for use with a vehicle batteryjump starter. The battery pack 100 is connectable to and supportable byhand-held power tools such as drills, fasteners, saws, pipe cutters,sanders, nailers, staplers, vacuum cleaners, etc. The battery pack 100is also connectable to and supportable by outdoor power tools such asstring trimmers, hedge trimmers, blowers, chain saws, etc. As shown inFIGS. 1-3 , the battery pack 100 includes a housing 105 and at least onerechargeable battery cell 110 (shown in FIG. 3 ) supported by thehousing 105. The battery pack 100 also includes a support portion 115for supporting the battery pack 100 on a tool, and a coupling mechanism120 for selectively coupling the battery pack 100 to, or releasing thebattery pack 100 from, the tool. The support portion 115 is connectableto a complementary support portion on the tool.

The battery pack 100 includes a plurality of terminals 125 locatedwithin the support portion 115 and operable to electrically connect thebattery cells 110 to a PCB 130 within the battery pack 100. Theplurality of terminals 125 includes, for example, a positive batteryterminal, a ground terminal, and a sense or data terminal. The batterypack 100 is removably and interchangeably connected to a tool to provideoperational power to the tool. The terminals 125 are configured to matewith corresponding power terminals extending from a tool within acomplementary receiving portion or the tool.

The illustrated battery pack 100 includes ten battery cells 110. Inother embodiments, the battery pack 100 can include additional or fewerbattery cells 110. The battery cells can be arranged in series,parallel, or a series-parallel combination. For example, the batterypack can include a total of ten battery cells configured in aseries-parallel arrangement of five sets of two series-connected cells.The series-parallel combination of battery cells allows for an increasedvoltage and an increased capacity of the battery pack. In someembodiments, the battery pack 100 includes five series-connected batterycells. In other embodiments, the battery pack 100 includes a differentnumber of battery cells (e.g., between three and thirty battery cells)connected in series, parallel, or a series-parallel combination in orderto produce a battery pack having a desired combination of nominalbattery pack voltage and battery capacity.

The battery cells 110 are lithium-based battery cells having a chemistryof, for example, lithium-cobalt (“Li—Co”), lithium-manganese (“Li—Mn”),or Li—Mn spinel. In some embodiments, the battery cells 110 have othersuitable lithium or lithium-based chemistries, such as a lithium-basedchemistry that includes manganese, etc. The battery cells within thebattery pack 100 provide operational power (e.g., voltage and current)to the tools. In one embodiment, each battery cell 110 has a nominalvoltage of approximately 3.6V, such that the battery pack has a nominalvoltage of approximately 18V. In other embodiments, the battery cellshave different nominal voltages, such as, for example, between 3.6V and4.2V, and the battery pack has a different nominal voltage, such as, forexample, 10.8V, 12V, 14.4V, 24V, 28V, 36V, 60V, 80V, between 10.8V and80V, etc. The battery cells 110 also each have a capacity of, forexample, approximately between 1.0 ampere-hours (“Ah”) and 6.0 Ah. Inexemplary embodiments, the battery cells each have capacities ofapproximately, 1.5 Ah, 2.4 Ah, 3.0 Ah, 4.0 Ah, 6.0 Ah, between 1.5 Ahand 6.0 Ah, etc. In some embodiments, a battery pack 100 having a totalbattery pack capacity of approximately 5.0 Ah or greater (e.g., 5.0 Ahto 12.0 Ah) is used in combination with a vehicle battery jump starter.In other embodiments, a battery pack 100 having a total battery packcapacity of approximately 1.5 Ah or greater (e.g., 1.5 Ah to 12.0 Ah) isused in combination with a vehicle battery jump starter.

The power output by the battery pack 100 to a tool is controlled,monitored, and regulated using control electronics within the batterypack 100, a tool, or a combination thereof. FIG. 4 illustrates acontroller 200 associated with the battery pack 100. The controller 200is electrically and/or communicatively connected to a variety of modulesor components of the battery pack 100. For example, the illustratedcontroller 200 is connected to a fuel gauge 205, one or more sensors210, a tool interface 215, a plurality of battery cells 220, and acharge/discharge control module 225 (optional within battery pack). Thecontroller 200 includes combinations of hardware and software that areoperable to, among other things, control the operation of the batterypack 100, activate the fuel gauge 205, monitor the operation of thebattery pack 100, etc. The fuel gauge 205 includes, for example, one ormore indicators, such as light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”). The fuel gauge205 can be configured to display conditions of, or informationassociated with, the state-of-charge of the battery cells 220. Thecontroller 200 also includes a variety of preset or calculated faultcondition values related to temperatures, currents, voltages, etc.,associated with the operation of a tool or the battery pack 100.

In some embodiments, the controller 200 includes a plurality ofelectrical and electronic components that provide power, operationalcontrol, and protection to the components and modules within thecontroller 200 and/or battery pack 100. For example, the controller 200includes, among other things, a processing unit 230 (e.g., amicroprocessor, a microcontroller, or another suitable programmabledevice), a memory 235, input units 240, and output units 245. Theprocessing unit 230 includes, among other things, a control unit 250, anarithmetic logic unit (“ALU”) 255, and a plurality of registers 260(shown as a group of registers in FIG. 4 ), and is implemented using aknown computer architecture (e.g., a modified Harvard architecture, avon Neumann architecture, etc.). The processing unit 230, the memory235, the input units 240, and the output units 245, as well as thevarious modules connected to the controller 200 are connected by one ormore control and/or data buses (e.g., common bus 265). The controland/or data buses are shown generally in FIG. 4 for illustrativepurposes. The use of one or more control and/or data buses for theinterconnection between and communication among the various modules andcomponents would be known to a person skilled in the art in view of theembodiments described herein. In some embodiments, the controller 200 isimplemented partially or entirely on a semiconductor (e.g., afield-programmable gate array [“FPGA”] semiconductor) chip, such as achip developed through a register transfer level (“RTL”) design process.

The memory 235 is a non-transitory computer readable medium thatincludes, for example, a program storage area and a data storage area.The program storage area and the data storage area can includecombinations of different types of memory, such as read-only memory(“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”) (e.g., dynamic RAM [“LDRAM”],synchronous DRAM [“SDRAM”], etc.), electrically erasable programmableread-only memory (“EEPROM”), flash memory, a hard disk, an SD card, orother suitable magnetic, optical, physical, or electronic memorydevices. The processing unit 230 is connected to the memory 235 andexecutes software instructions that are capable of being stored in a RAMof the memory 235 (e.g., during execution), a ROM of the memory 235(e.g., on a generally permanent basis), or another non-transitorycomputer readable medium such as another memory or a disc. Softwareincluded in the implementation of the battery pack 100 can be stored inthe memory 235 of the controller 200. The software includes, forexample, firmware, one or more applications, program data, filters,rules, one or more program modules, and other executable instructions.The controller 200 is configured to retrieve from memory and execute,among other things, instructions related to the control of the batterypack described herein. The controller 200 can also store various batterypack parameters and characteristics (including battery pack nominalvoltage, chemistry, battery cell characteristics, maximum alloweddischarge current, maximum allowed temperature, etc.). In otherconstructions, the controller 200 includes additional, fewer, ordifferent components.

The tool interface 215 includes a combination of mechanical components(e.g., the support portion 115) and electrical components (e.g., theplurality of terminals 125) configured to, and operable for, interfacing(e.g., mechanically, electrically, and communicatively connecting) thebattery pack 100 with a tool or another device. For example, powerprovided from the battery pack 100 to a tool or device is providedthrough the charge/discharge control module 225 to the tool interface215. The charge/discharge control module 225 includes, for example, oneor more switches (e.g., FETs) for controlling the charging current toand discharge current from the battery cells 220. In some embodiments,power provided from the battery pack 100 to a tool or device (or from acharger) is controlled by a charge/discharge control module 225 that isexternal to the battery pack 100 (i.e., internal to a tool, device, orcharger). The tool interface 215 also includes, for example, acommunication line 270 for providing a communication line or linkbetween the controller 200 and a tool or device (e.g., a vehicle batteryjump starter).

The sensors 210 include, for example, one or more current sensors, oneor more voltage sensors, one or more temperature sensors, etc. Forexample, the controller 200 uses the sensors 210 to monitor anindividual state of charge of each of the battery cells 220, monitor acurrent being discharged from the battery cells 220, monitor thetemperature of one or more of the battery cells 220, etc. If the voltageof one of the battery cells 220 is equal to or above an upper voltagelimit (e.g., a maximum charging voltage), the charge/discharge controlmodule 225 prevents the battery cells from being further charged orrequests that a battery charger (not shown) provide a constant voltagecharging scheme. Alternatively, if one of the battery cells 220 fallsbelow a low-voltage limit, the charge/discharge control module preventsthe battery cells 220 from being further discharged. Similarly, if anupper or lower operational temperature limit for the battery cells 220is reached, the controller 200 can prevent the battery pack 100 frombeing charged or discharged until the temperature of the battery cells220 or the battery pack 100 is within an acceptable temperature range.

The battery pack 100 is connectable to and supportable by a vehiclebattery jump starter such as vehicle battery jump starter 300illustrated in FIG. 5 . The vehicle battery jump starter 300 includes ahousing 305, a support portion 310 for receiving and supporting thebattery pack 100, a plurality of terminals 315 for electricallyconnecting the battery pack 100 to the vehicle battery jump starter 300,an ON or POWER button 320 for turning ON or activating the vehiclebattery jump starter 300, a first electrical cable 325, a secondelectrical cable 330, a first terminal clamp 335, and a second terminalclamp 340. The battery pack 100 connects to the vehicle battery jumpstarter 300 through the support portion 310 and the plurality ofterminals 315. As a result, the battery pack 100 operates as a powersource for the vehicle battery jump starter 300.

The vehicle battery jump starter 300 includes a controller 400, as shownin FIG. 6 . The controller 400 is electrically and/or communicativelyconnected to a variety of modules or components of the vehicle batteryjump starter 300. For example, the illustrated controller 400 isconnected to one or more indicators 405, a power input module 410, abattery pack interface 415, one or more sensors 420, a user input module425, and a FET switching module 430. The controller 400 includescombinations of hardware and software that are operable to, among otherthings, control the operation of the vehicle battery jump starter 300,monitor the operation of the vehicle battery jump starter 300, activatethe one or more indicators 405 (e.g., an LED), etc. The one or moresensors 420 include, among other things, one or more voltage sensors,one or more current sensors, one or more temperature sensors, etc.

In some embodiments, the controller 400 includes a plurality ofelectrical and electronic components that provide power, operationalcontrol, and protection to the components and modules within thecontroller 400 and/or vehicle battery jump starter 300. For example, thecontroller 400 includes, among other things, a processing unit 435(e.g., a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or another suitableprogrammable device), a memory 440, input units 445, and output units450. The processing unit 435 includes, among other things, a controlunit 455, an ALU 460, and a plurality of registers 465 (shown as a groupof registers in FIG. 6 ), and is implemented using a known computerarchitecture (e.g., a modified Harvard architecture, a von Neumannarchitecture, etc.). The processing unit 435, the memory 440, the inputunits 445, and the output units 450, as well as the various modulesconnected to the controller 400 are connected by one or more controland/or data buses (e.g., common bus 470). The control and/or data busesare shown generally in FIG. 6 for illustrative purposes. The use of oneor more control and/or data buses for the interconnection between andcommunication among the various modules and components would be known toa person skilled in the art in view of the embodiments described herein.In some embodiments, the controller 400 is implemented partially orentirely on a semiconductor (e.g., an FPGA semiconductor) chip.

The memory 440 is a non-transitory computer readable medium andincludes, for example, a program storage area and a data storage area.The program storage area and the data storage area can includecombinations of different types of memory, such as a ROM, a RAM (e.g.,DRAM, SDRAM, etc.), EEPROM, flash memory, a hard disk, an SD card, orother suitable magnetic, optical, physical, or electronic memorydevices. The processing unit 435 is connected to the memory 440 andexecutes software instructions that are capable of being stored in a RAMof the memory 440 (e.g., during execution), a ROM of the memory 440(e.g., on a generally permanent basis), or another non-transitorycomputer readable medium such as another memory or a disc. Softwareincluded in the implementation of the vehicle battery jump starter canbe stored in the memory 440 of the controller 400. The softwareincludes, for example, firmware, one or more applications, program data,filters, rules, one or more program modules, and other executableinstructions. The controller 400 is configured to retrieve from memoryand execute, among other things, instructions related to the controlprocesses and methods described herein. In other constructions, thecontroller 400 includes additional, fewer, or different components.

The battery pack interface 415 includes a combination of mechanicalcomponents (e.g., the support portion 310) and electrical components(e.g., the plurality of terminals 315) configured to and operable forinterfacing (e.g., mechanically, electrically, and communicativelyconnecting) the vehicle battery jump starter with the battery pack 100.For example, power provided by the battery pack 100 to the vehiclebattery jump starter is provided through the battery pack interface 415to a power input module 410. The power input module 410 includescombinations of active and passive components to regulate or control thepower received from the battery pack 100 prior to power being providedto the controller 400. The battery pack interface 415 also includes, forexample, a communication line 475 for providing a communication line orlink between the controller 400 and the battery pack 100. The batterypack interface 415 supplies power to the FET switching module 430 to beswitched by the switching FETs to selectively provide power to theclamps 335, 340. The FET switching module 430 is also connected to apower boost module 480. The power boost module 480 includes, forexample, a plurality of supercapacitors or lithium-polymer batterycells. The power boost module 480 is selectively charged by thecontroller 400 with power from the battery pack 100. In someembodiments, the power boost module 480 is charged by a vehicle battery(e.g., supercapacitors can be charged from a depleted vehicle battery).The power boost module 480 can be used in conjunction with the batterypack 100 to provide power to a vehicle battery to jump start the vehiclebattery. In some embodiments, the power boost module 480 alone (i.e.,without battery pack 100) can be used to attempt to jump start a vehiclebattery. Without the battery pack 100, however, the capabilities of thevehicle battery jump starter 300 are limited. For example,supercapacitors alone may not have the energy capacity to jump start avehicle without the battery pack 100. Alternatively, lithium polymerbattery cells require charging which may be difficult or impossibledepending upon the location of the vehicle when its battery needs to bejump started.

FIG. 7 is an electrical schematic diagram of the combination of thebattery pack 100 and the vehicle battery jump starter 300. The vehiclebattery jump starter 300 is connected to a vehicle battery 500. Byconnecting the battery pack 100 in parallel with the power boost module480 and the vehicle battery 500, the vehicle battery jump starter 300prevents the system voltage from exceeding 18V and potentially damagingthe vehicle battery 500 or control electronics. Vehicle electricalsystems typically operate at voltages ranging from a few volts (e.g.,during starting) to approximately 14V (e.g., during charging).Conventional jump starters typically operate at voltages of between 10Vand 14V. Higher voltage lithium-based battery packs (e.g., 18V batterypacks) are problematic as jump starters due to the high internalresistance of their battery cells (e.g., compared to lithium polymercells and supercapacitors). Increasing the number of series connectedbattery cells increases the internal resistance of a battery pack.Connecting battery cells in parallel reduces internal resistance.However, for a 12V lithium-based battery pack, a significant number ofbattery cells may need to be connected in parallel to reduce internalresistance enough to be able to jump start a vehicle battery.Counterintuitively, using an 18V lithium-based battery pack can make thebattery pack appear electrically to be a 12V battery pack with reducedinternal resistance. This effect can be shown numerically by applyingThevenin's theorem to calculate the 18V battery pack'sThevenin-equivalent resistance and Thevenin-equivalent voltage. As aresult, a battery pack having a voltage higher than the vehicleelectrical system's voltage can be used (e.g., an 18V lithium-basedbattery pack).

The vehicle battery jump starter 300 includes a precharge circuit 505(e.g., including a precharge switch) that is controlled through aprecharge pin connected to the controller 400, and a jump start switch510 that is controlled through a jump pin connected to the controller400. The controller 400 selectively controls the precharge circuit 505to charge the supercapacitors or lithium polymer battery cells in thepower boost module 480. The controller 400 controls the prechargecircuit 505 to prevent the battery pack 100 from providing excessivedischarge currents to the power boost module 480. For example, theprecharge circuit 505 is controlled using a PWM signal from thecontroller 400 to limit the current from the battery pack 100 being usedto charge the power boost module. In some embodiments, a resistor can beplaced in the precharge circuit 505 in series with the precharge switchto limit the current discharge from the battery pack 100. In theillustrated embodiment, the power boost module 480 includes a string ofseries connected supercapacitors. In other embodiments, the power boostmodule 480 includes a plurality of supercapacitors in a parallel orseries-parallel arrangement, a plurality of lithium polymer batterycells in a series, parallel, or series-parallel arrangement, or acombination of supercapacitors and lithium polymer battery cellsconnected in a series, parallel, or series-parallel configuration. Oneskilled in the art, in light of this disclosure, would understand how tocombine supercapacitors and/or lithium polymer battery cells in series,parallel, or a series parallel configuration to achieve a desiredvoltage and current output from the power boost module 480.

The vehicle battery jump starter 300 also includes a current sensor 515(e.g., a shunt resistor) so the controller 400 can monitor the currentbeing discharged to the vehicle battery 500, as well as positive andnegative voltage taps that allow the controller 400 to monitor thevoltage of the vehicle battery 500. The controller 400 can monitordischarge current during an attempted jump start to ensure that thecurrent being discharged does not exceed a high current threshold valueor a particular value for an extended period of time. For example, thebattery pack 100 in combination with the power boost module output acombined current of approximately 750 A for approximately 50milliseconds to jump start the vehicle battery 500, and a combinedcurrent of 200 A or more for several seconds thereafter. In order toprotect the battery pack 100 and the vehicle battery jump starter 300,the controller 400 can prevent the vehicle battery jump starter 300 fromdischarging current in excess of 500 A for more than 100 milliseconds orgreater than 200 A for five seconds. These limits can vary based on thebattery pack being used to power the vehicle battery jump starter 300.However, in each instance, discharge current limits are in place toprevent damage to the battery pack 100, the vehicle battery jump starter300, or the vehicle battery 500.

In addition to the discharge current limitations of the battery pack100, the battery pack 100 also has voltage and temperature limitationswithin which it must operate. Each of the discharge current, voltage,and temperature limitations of the battery pack 100 can be monitored andcontrolled by the controller 200 of the battery pack. The power boostmodule 480 also has discharge current, voltage, and temperaturelimitations independent from those of the battery pack 100 within whichit must operate. Each of the discharge current, voltage, and temperaturelimitations of the power boost module 480 can be monitored andcontrolled by the controller 400 of the vehicle battery jump starter300. In some embodiments, each of the battery cells 220 and the powerboost module 480 (e.g., including supercapacitors, lithium polymerbattery cells, or a combination of supercapacitors and lithium polymerbattery cells) can be independently disconnected in the event of acurrent, voltage, or temperature limit being reached (i.e., a faultcondition).

The operation of the combination of battery pack 100 and vehicle batteryjump starter 300 is described with respect to a process 600 in FIGS. 8and 9 . The process 600 begins with the battery pack 100 being attachedto the vehicle battery jump starter 300 (STEP 605). Following STEP 605,the controller 400 of the vehicle battery jump starter 300 controls theprecharge circuit 505 to electrically connect the battery pack 100 tothe power boost module 480 (STEP 610). After the battery pack 100 isconnected to the power boost module 480, stored energy from the batterypack 100 can be used to charge the power boost module 480 (STEP 615).After the power boost module 480 has been fully charged, the controller400 controls the precharge circuit 505 to electrically disconnect thebattery pack 100 from the power boost module 480 (STEP 620). With thepower boost module 480 charged and the battery pack 100 connected to thevehicle battery jump starter 300, the combination of the battery pack100 and the vehicle battery jump starter can be used to jump start thevehicle battery 500.

The controller 400 of the vehicle battery jump starter or the controller200 of the battery pack 100 can selectively prevent the battery pack 100from being used to jump start the vehicle battery 500 if the voltage ofthe battery pack 100 is so low that attempting to jump start the vehiclebattery 500 could damage the battery pack 100. For example, in additionto a standard low-voltage cutoff for the battery cells 220 of thebattery pack 100, a second low-voltage threshold value can beimplemented to prevent the battery pack 100 from being used to jumpstart a vehicle. The battery pack 100 can determine that it is connectedto the vehicle battery jump starter 300 (e.g., rather than a hand heldpower tool) via communication with the vehicle battery jump starter 300or an identification device (e.g., a resistor). The controller 200 ofthe battery pack 100 can then prevent the battery pack 100 fromdischarging current when the battery pack 100's voltage is below thesecond threshold value and discharging current would drop the voltage ofthe battery pack 100 below the standard low-voltage cutoff (e.g., 2.6Vper cell). The second voltage threshold value is selected to correspondto the amount of energy required to jump start the vehicle battery 500or an expected voltage reduction resulting from the discharge of thehigh current necessary to jump start a vehicle battery. If the batterypack 100 has less charge than would be required to jump start thevehicle battery 500, and attempting to jump start the vehicle battery500 would cause the battery pack 100's voltage to be depleted below orfall below the standard low-voltage cutoff, the controller 200 preventsthe battery pack 100 from attempting to jump start the vehicle battery500.

At STEP 625, the vehicle battery jump starter 300 is connected to thevehicle battery 500 via terminal clamps 335 and 340. Once the vehiclebattery jump starter 300 is connected to the vehicle battery 500, thecontroller 400 monitors the voltage across the vehicle battery 500 (STEP630). When an attempt to start a vehicle is made, the voltage of thevehicle battery 500 is reduced. This reduction in voltage of the vehiclebattery 500 signals to the controller 400 that an attempt to start thevehicle has been made. The process 600 then proceeds to control sectionA shown in and described with respect to FIG. 9 .

With reference to FIG. 9 , if an attempt to start a vehicle has not beenmade at STEP 635, the process 600 waits at STEP 635 for a vehicle startattempt to be made (or for a timeout condition of the controller 400 tooccur). After a vehicle start attempt is detected by the controller 400at STEP 635, the controller 400 electrically connects the battery pack100 and the power boost module 480 to the vehicle battery 500 (STEP640). In some embodiments, the controller 400 uses the JUMP START switch510 to prevent discharge from the vehicle battery jump starter 300 whenthere is a low resistance between VOLTAGE (+) and VOLTAGE (−) terminalsof the vehicle battery jump starter 300. Such a low resistance can becaused by shorted jumper cables or a shorted vehicle battery 500. Thecontroller 400 can detect such a condition and use the JUMP START switch510 to prevent discharge and, as a result, prevent sparking. In someembodiments, the JUMP START switch 510 is used as an override switch toconnect the battery pack 100 and power boost module 480 to the vehiclebattery 500 without attempting to jump start the vehicle battery 500.For example, diesel vehicles require glow plugs to be sufficiently warmto cause fuel ignition. A depleted vehicle battery may not be able tosufficiently warm the glow plugs alone. By connecting the battery pack100 and power boost module 480 to the vehicle's battery through the JUMPSTART switch 510, power from the battery pack 100 and the power boostmodule 480 can be used to warm the glow plugs. Additionally, newervehicles may electronically prevent an operator from trying to start avehicle if the vehicle's battery is depleted (e.g., even if a jumpstarter is attached). Connecting the battery pack 100 and power boostmodule 480 to the vehicle's battery through the JUMP START switch 510can raise the vehicle's system voltage enough to allow the operator toattempt to start the vehicle.

As the jump start current is being provided from the battery pack 100and power boost module 480 to the vehicle battery 500, the controller400 monitors the voltage of the vehicle battery 500 (STEP 645). When thecontroller 400 determines that the vehicle has not yet been started atSTEP 650, the process 600 remains at STEP 650 until the vehicle starts(or a timeout condition of the controller 400 or low-voltage conditionof the battery pack 100 occurs). When, at STEP 650, the controller 400detects that the vehicle has started, the controller 400 electricallydisconnects the battery pack 100 and the power boost module 480 from thevehicle battery 500. The vehicle battery jump starter 300 and clamps335, 340 can then be physically disconnected.

Thus, embodiments described herein provide, among other things, avehicle battery jump starter powered by a removable and rechargeablebattery pack. Various features and advantages are set forth in thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a power tool; a vehiclebattery jump starter; a battery pack electrically connectable to atleast one of the power tool and the vehicle battery jump starter; and acontroller including an electronic processor configured to: operate thebattery pack in accordance with a first operating parameter when thebattery pack is connected to the power tool; and operate the batterypack in accordance with a second operating parameter when the batterypack is connected to the vehicle battery jump starter.
 2. The system ofclaim 1, wherein: the first operating parameter is a first voltagethreshold; and the second operating parameter is a second voltagethreshold.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein a value of the secondvoltage threshold has is greater than a value of the first voltagethreshold.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein, if the battery pack was tobe used by the vehicle battery jump starter to jump start a vehiclebattery when a voltage of the battery pack is less than the secondvoltage threshold, the voltage of the battery pack would decrease belowthe first voltage threshold.
 5. The system of claim 3, wherein, if thebattery pack was to be used by the vehicle battery jump starter to jumpstart a vehicle battery when a voltage of the battery pack is greaterthan the second voltage threshold, the voltage of the battery pack wouldnot decrease below the first voltage threshold.
 6. The system of claim2, wherein the controller is further configured to prevent the batterypack from discharging current to the vehicle battery jump starter when avoltage of the battery pack is less than the second voltage threshold.7. The system of claim 1, wherein: the vehicle battery jump starterincludes a power boost module that is configured to be charged with adischarge current from the battery pack; and the battery pack isconnected in parallel with the power boost module.
 8. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the battery pack is a power tool battery pack.
 9. Abattery pack comprising: an interface configured to electrically connectthe battery pack to at least one of a vehicle battery jump starter and apower tool; one or more battery cells configured to power the at leastone of the vehicle battery jump starter and the power tool; and acontroller including an electronic processor configured to: operate thebattery pack in accordance with a first operating parameter when thebattery pack is connected to the power tool; and operate the batterypack in accordance with a second operating parameter when the batterypack is connected to the vehicle battery jump starter.
 10. The batterypack of claim 9, wherein: the first operating parameter is a firstvoltage threshold; and the second operating parameter is a secondvoltage threshold.
 11. The battery pack of claim 10, wherein a value ofthe second voltage threshold is greater than a value of the firstvoltage threshold.
 12. The battery pack of claim 11, wherein, if thebattery pack was to be used by the vehicle battery jump starter to jumpstart a vehicle battery when a voltage of the battery pack is less thanthe second voltage threshold, the voltage of the battery pack woulddecrease below the first voltage threshold.
 13. The battery pack ofclaim 11, wherein, if the battery pack was to be used by the vehiclebattery jump starter to jump start a vehicle battery when a voltage ofthe battery pack is greater than the second voltage threshold, thevoltage of the battery pack would not decrease below the first voltagethreshold.
 14. The battery pack of claim 10, wherein the controller isfurther configured to prevent the battery pack from discharging currentto the vehicle battery jump starter when a voltage of the battery packis less than the second voltage threshold.
 15. The battery pack of claim9, wherein: the battery pack is configured to provide a dischargecurrent to the vehicle battery jump starter to charge a power boostmodule; and the battery pack is electrically connected in parallel withthe power boost module circuit when the battery pack is connected to thevehicle battery jump starter.
 16. The battery of claim 9, wherein thebattery pack is a power tool battery pack.
 17. A method of operating aremovable and rechargeable battery pack, the method comprising:operating, by a controller including an electronic processor, theremovable and rechargeable battery pack in accordance with a firstoperating parameter when the removable and rechargeable battery pack isattached to a power tool; attaching the removable and rechargeablebattery pack to a vehicle battery jump starter, the vehicle battery jumpstarter including a power boost module; electrically connecting theremovable and rechargeable battery pack to the power boost module tocharge the power boost module; and operating, by the controller, theremovable and rechargeable battery pack in accordance with a secondoperating parameter when the removable and rechargeable battery pack isattached to the vehicle battery jump starter.
 18. The method of claim17, wherein: the first operating parameter is a first voltage threshold;the second operating parameter is a second voltage threshold; and avalue of the second voltage threshold is greater than a value of thefirst voltage threshold.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprisingcharging the power boost module with a discharge current from theremovable and rechargeable battery pack when a voltage of the removableand rechargeable battery pack is greater than the second voltagethreshold.
 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising: preventing,by the controller, discharge of current from the removable andrechargeable battery pack when a voltage of the removable andrechargeable battery pack is less than the second voltage threshold.